Fractal Design Launches Define XL R2 Chassis

Fractal Design recently introduced a new model to its Define XL series with the Define XL R2 that comes in either Black Pearl or Titanium Grey. The new case supports motherboards as large as XL-ATX and is packed with features for a relatively cheap $130 price.

See more photos and specifications after the break.

On the outside, the case has a minimalistic design thanks to a front cover that hides the drive bays and fan intake. The power button and front IO are located along the top-front edge of the case. In addition to a reset and LED-lit power button, the front IO panel includes two USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, and two audio jacks for headphone/mic.

There are two 140mm fan intakes on the front, two 140mm vents on the top, one 140mm vent on the bottom of the case, and one 140mm vent on the rear of the case. Fractal Design includes three Silent Series R2 fans with the case that come pre-installed with one in the front, rear, and bottom of the case respectively. There are 9 PCI expansion slots and a bottom mounted PSU bracket on the back of the case. Unfortunately there are no watercooling grommets to accommodate external watercooling radiators. The Define XL R2 case measures 232mm (w) x 559mm (h) x 560mm (d) and weighs just under 36.2 lbs (16.4kg).

Internally, the case supports a wide range of motherboards, from Mini-ITX to XL-ATX in size. Rubber-grommetted cable management holes and 26mm of space behind the motherboard tray assist with cable management. The case can hold up to four externally-accessible 5.25” drives and eight 3.5” hard drives. As far as cooling, the top two vents can hold two 120 or 140mm fans for air cooling or a 240 or 280mm watercooling radiator. Combined with an additional 140mm radiator on the rear vent, you could get decent watercooling performance without needing to mod the case to use an external radiator. It will also work well with the self contained watercoolers like the H100i or traditional air cooling (a built-in fan controller is also present).The inside of the case is painted black on both the Black Pearl and Titanium Grey SKUs.

In all, Fractal Design has come out with a nice looking case for a decent price with the Define XL R2. It is currently available to system integrators, and has an MSRP of $130. Hopefully enthusiasts will get access to it soon. You can find more specifications and photos on the product pages for the Black Pearl and Titanium Grey models.